Improvement in ironing-machines



dilated tatrs GEORGE BOXLEY, OF TROY, NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 101,573, dated April 5, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN IRONING-MACHINS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent-ax1d making part of thesame,

Be it known that 1GEORGE BoxLEY, of Troy, in thecounty of Rensselaer andState of New York, have invented certain new Improvements iu Ironing-Machines, of which the following is a'full specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing and letters ot' reference markedthereon making a part thereof, in which- Figure lis a perspective viewof said improved machine;

ligure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view, taken through thesmoothing-iron and its'driving.bar on an enlarged scale, and

Figure 4 is a top view of said machine.

The same letters refer to like parts in each of said figures. l

The object of my invention is to produce an improved machiue for thepurpose of ironing or smoothing and polishing shirts, shirt-bosoms,collars, and other articles; and l The said invention consists in thecombination of certain mechanical devices, in manner substantially ashereinafter fully describedand shown, whereby the smoothing andpolishing-iron is caused to move either in long or short rectilinearreciprocating strokes, and in lateral curved or circular directions, andits strokes are fully controlled and easily guided in such movementsupon and over the article operated on, by the hand and foot of theoperator.

The construction of my improved machine is as follows:

A suitable frame, A B B, is first made for sup-v porting the machinery.

Oh the top part of this frame is secured the ironing-table, O.

At one end ofthe said frame there is hxed the bearing, I), which haspivoted thereto the vibrating bar E.

llhis bar has a slotted curve, k, with-a radius of curvature equal tothe length of the connecting-rod or bar G, which is connected to the barE bya pin or stud,-I, so as to slide either way easily in said slot k.

J is an adjusting bar, having one endpivoted iu the bearing T, while theother end is connected bythe link or bar F to the bar G and stud Iaforesaid.

A cord or belt, p, has one end attached to the said bar, thence passingover the pulley-wheel s, while its other end is attached to the treadleor foot-lever R, substantially as shown.

The bar G is attached to the crank H on shaft of pulley M, driven by thebelt O passing there-around, and also around the driving-pulleyNondriving-shaft Y.

A belt-tightener or starter, P, is provided with a friction-roller atits belt end and pivoted to a supporting standard, whilst its other endis attached by a link or bar to the foot-lever or treadlc Q,substantially as shown in the drawing. y

Arranged to operate over the table O is the ironing or iron-driving barV, made of two pieces or rails, a a', secured together and provided'witha handle at one end, while the other end has a tongue so as to bepivoted in the slot ot' the swivel-head U, which swivels or turns in asocket, m, iu the head of the vibratingbar .E aforesaid, and is kepttherein by means of the set-screw q, in manner asshown.

This mode of constructing the ironing-bar leaves a vertical slot throughit nearly its whole length, substantially as shown in the drawing.

Arranged within this slot, and so as to slide or be adjusted todifferent positions therein, is the smoothing-iron holder, which iscomposed of the swivel head or stock el, provided with the handles orhorns e e and cap h supporting it on its carriage b, sliding on therails a a, and held in adjusted position thereon by the set-screw c.

.A pin, g, passes through the under side ofthe swivel d, which holds theironing-bar V up to its proper place on said swivel (l.

The -smoot-hingfiron W is readily attached to the swivel rl by means ofthe pin f passing through a tongue of the iron and jaws of the swivel,in manner as shown, or it may bc attached in any other convenientmanner.

The new parts of my ironing-machine consist, as shown, of the swvelingiron-holder d h, the drivingbar V, connected by the swivel-joint to therocking arm E, and the connecting-rod Gr, having adjustable connectionwith said arm E.

By means of these parts the smoothing-iron W is made to move indifferent lengths of stroke in reciprocating directions, which, at will,is changed into curved, oval, or circular directions.

These said parts are operated by the before-described devices ofdriving-pulleys, belts, adjustingbars or rods, and treadles or levers,but it is apparent that mechanical skill may substitute and arrangeequivalents in place of the pulley s and cordp of said devices; forinstance, by arranging a foot-lever in place of the treadle R, audconnecting its end by a link to the bar J, the adjustment of theconnecting-rod G on rocking-arm E may be made in manner subst-antiallyas beforev done, or the adjusting-bars J and F may be dispensed with,and their place filled by an additional pulley arranged and secured nearthe end of the ma- 'chine and over the conuectiugLl-od G, the pulley sbeing turned iu line with the extra pulley. The cord 1J therefrom isthen passed over the extra pulley and fastened to the rod G.

By pressing down the treadle R, the connecting-rod G is adjusted on thearm E so as to vary the length of stroke of the smoothing-iron W, inmanner substantially as before done.

It' necessary, the bar or rod G may be made tov just quicker byweighting its adjustable end.

' In place of the loose belt O with the belttightener or starter P, asshown, a loose pulley and tight belt may be used with the tight pulley,and a belt-shifter operated by a foot-lever arranged therewith, so as toshift the belt onto either pulley, as wanted, to either start or stopthe machine.

The operation and use of my improved machine is aslfollows:

The article to be smoothed or ironed is spread on the table C, and thesmoothing-iron W, made properly hot, is attached to the driving-bar V atany adjusted position thereon suitable to the article to be roned.

The machine and iron W is set in motion by the operator-s foot pressingthe lever Q down, which causes the starter P to tighten the belt O ofthe driving-pulley N sufficiently to cause it to give motion to thepulley M, thus vibrating the bar E, which causes the iron-driving bar Vand iron W to move in reciprocal directions over the table C, theoperator keeping one hand on the handle of the driving-bar V so as totherehy guide the iron W over different parts of thearticle ironed, theother hand being, at liberty so as to keep the article in properposition for the action of the iron W, and also to guide the toe of theiron W by means of the handles or horns e e aforesaid, so as to give itproper direction in ironing shirt-bosoms, plaits,.&c.

When necessary to shorten the length of stroke of the iron W so as toadapt it to ironing collars, cuffs,

85e., the operators foot is placed on and presses down the lever R,which causes the cord p to lift the adj usting-barJ, and with it the endof the connecting-rod G, so that the length of stroke of the iron W maythus be shortened or graduated and properly adapted to thekind of workin band. The smoothing-iron making straight .reciprocating strokes, and,by properly controlling the driving-bar V by its handle, the straightreciprocating strokes may be changed to curved, circular, or ovalstrokes, in manner about as shown by the dotted lines in lig. lof thedrawings, and so that the ironing process of ironing.

WhatI claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the adjustable swiveling ironholder d h, providedwith handles e e, with the slotted driving or ironingbar V andsmoothing-iron W, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

2.' The combination and arrangement with each other of the table C, theironing-bar V, the vibrating arm E, and the adjustable connecting-rod G,substantially as set forth, and operated by the means and for thepurposes bereinbefore described.

3. The combination of the adjusting hars F and J, treadle R, pulley s,and belt p, with the connecting-rod G, vibrating arm E, ironing-bar V,and smoothingiron lV, substantial-ly as and operating for the purposedescribed.

GEORGE BOXLEY.

Witnesses l JOHN J. SAVAGE, J. L. BARNEY.

stroke may be best adapted to smooth the article in l

